Home Again, Home Again
by mariahills-capsicle
Summary: AU: After the time portal brought Emma, Marian, and Killian back from the past they discover that it brought something else with them—a jewel from Rumplestiltskin's stores that has the power to transport everyone in the town back to the Enchanted Forest, but in the wrong hands it also has the power to destroy them all... (See full summary inside). Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1 Morning Troubles

**Hello! Here's the full version of the Summary just so you get a basic idea of where this is going. Unlike my Avengers story I actually have some sort of plan for this. :)**

**AU After the time portal brought Emma, Marian, and Killian back from the past they discover that it brought something else with them—a jewel from Rumplestiltskin's stores that has the power to transport everyone in the town back to the Enchanted Forest, but in the wrong hands it also has the power to destroy them all. While David and Snow and the others make preparations to leave they discover the jewel went missing, and even though Regina and Robin are trying to stay away from each other, and Emma can't decide whether she wants to go or not, they must all join together to find the jewel before it's too late.**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

**EMMA**

_The cool breeze swept through her blond hair as she danced up the hill after her parents. _

_"__Come on, Emma!" Her mother smiled, holding out her hand, and catching the toddler as she tried racing by. "We're going on a picnic!" _

_"__Where?" _

_"__Just outside the forest there's a lovely meadow. We're going there. We're meeting Auntie Red, and Granny." _

_"__Oh!" _

Emma woke up and stared at the ceiling above her. For a moment she couldn't remember if what she had dreamed was a memory or just a shadow of what should have been. She sighed, when she remembered, and rubbed her eyes, slowly sitting up in her empty, lonely bed.

"Killian..." She gripped the corner of her quilt in her fist. The last thing she did with him was kiss him. Why? Why had she kissed him? The evening was coming back in portions... He had traded his ship for her. She smiled, and jumped out of bed. _Killian traded the Jolly Roger for __**me. **_It was a perfectly cheery thought to start her day with, and it beautified her face with glorious smiles as she greeted her family in the dining room.

"Good morning!" She said happily. She hugged her father and mother tightly, and kissed Henry and Neal on the tops of their heads.

"G'Morning, Mom." Henry mumbled, "Why are you so happy?"

"I just had a good dream. That's all." _A dream come true. _She thought. Killian traded his ship for her. He loved her.

"I hope it wasn't about pirates." David muttered. Emma laughed.

"Dad, trust me, Killian's not a 'pirate' anymore. At least, not in the original sense of the word."

"Does that mean your dream was about Killian?" Snow asked. She and David both looked exhausted. Neal must have kept them up all night again. Emma blushed.

"No." She sighed.

"Well... I just burned the eggs..." David groaned. Emma frowned, looking over at her Dad's black scrambled mess and grinned.

"Did Prince Charming never learn to cook in the Enchanted Forest?"

"Of course I did, I'm just exhausted. That's all." David turned the pan over with such force that black flecks flew out at Emma's pajama pants.

"Careful, Dad." She gently took the pan, and set it in the sink. "Don't worry about it now."

"We can just go to Granny's." Snow sighed. Henry looked up.

"Does that mean I get waffles and hot chocolate?"

"I guess so, kid." Emma ruffled her son's hair, and then quickly ran upstairs to get dressed. The prospect of maybe seeing Killian at Granny's made her shiver, but then the events of last night came back to her and they made her freeze as she was buttoning her shirt up. _Regina. Robin. Marian... Oh No. _If she saw Regina she was surely doomed. The woman was furious, and would probably burn her to a crisp. What if Regina was at the diner?

"It's unlikely." She told herself. "She's probably hiding in her house... she's probably..." The thought of Regina sobbing into the side of one of her fancy couches made Emma sigh. Regina was stoic, stubborn, and cool. She was a Queen, and queen's didn't cry. At least, not in front of anyone. But Emma was sure that she could be found in her home sobbing her heart out. For one moment she thought of going to the house, and trying to apologize again, but she realized it didn't matter. No matter what she did Regina would be furious. Emma trotted downstairs to find her family ready to go out the door.

"Ready?" Emma nodded. "Good."

When they reached Granny's Regina was nowhere to be found, but Roland and Marian were sitting at a table. Marian was talking to her son, but he seemed distracted and lonely. He was playing with the salt packets, and when he saw Henry walk in his face burst with a grin.

"Henry!" He jumped out of his seat and raced towards the boy who he considered a brother.

"Hey, Roland. It's good to see you! Is your dad around?"

"No. He's with John. Do you know where 'gina is?"

"Mom? No... she's probably at home."

"Oh." Roland looked disappointed.

"Do you want to play a game of tick-tack-toe?"

"Yeah!"

As David and Snow ordered Emma watched Marian's expressions as she studied her son playing a strange game with this strange boy. Marian had met Henry last night. She had been utterly confused at this boy who was a son to both the evil queen and Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter.

"Hello?" she asked, when she saw Emma. "Come sit down." Emma sat across from her in Roland's former seat.

"Hello, Marian. How are you?" Emma asked, though not really wanting to address this woman whom she should have just left alone.

"Not so well. What does he like now?" Marian gestured to the young boy sitting next to Henry.

"What does he like?"

"Yes. What does he like? What is he like? Who does he like?"

"Ummm... He likes cocoa with cinnamon, and tic-tac-toe, and... playing on the playground, playing swords with Henry, playing with cats, and sleeping with his favorite stuffed monkey."

"Stuffed monkey?"

"Yeah. I think Regina gave it to him."

"The Evil Queen..." Marian sneered. "Ruined my life, and now she still is."

"Why?"

"She stealing my son from me!" Marian hissed. "I will not stand for it!"

"Marian..."

"Emma! The food is ready!" David called.

"Would Roland like something?" Emma noticed Marian hadn't bought anything.

"Ummm... That would be... that would be nice, thank you."

"I'll order him some hot cocoa and waffles."

"Alright." Marian bowed her head, but watched as Emma ordered Roland's new favorite food. His favorite, of course, were actually Regina's apple waffles, but Regina wasn't here, and he would have to do with just plain ones.

Emma let Roland sit with Marian, but she went to sit with her family.

"It seems as though Marian is angry." David said.

"She is. She's very angry with Regina. She says Regina's tearing her family away from her."

"Please. Regina deserves Robin and Roland. Marian doesn't. What did she ever do, but be at the right place and right time and then get pregnant?" Snow asked. Emma had never heard her mother talk this way.

"Mom!"

"It's true."

"Regardless, it wasn't really nice." Emma took a sip of her coffee and smiled against her will. It was true. Regina had worked for the relationship... hard.

* * *

**REGINA**

The agony in her heart made her sick as she sat on the floor in her living room staring at the flames in her fireplace, just like they had been only the night before,when he had been hers. She felt the rug underneath her, the sofa at her back, and the warmth of tears on her face, but she couldn't feel her broken heart and there was no way of healing it either.

"Mom? I'm home!" Henry. She stood, wrapping her black shawl more tightly around her shoulders and quickly moving to the door, wiping away her tears.

"I'm here, Henry, by the fire!"

"Hi!"

"I thought you were supposed to be with Emma today." Regina said.

"I was…. but she was busy. She and Killian wanted to talk privately, so she told me to pack my bags and just spend the night at your house."

"Oh. I see." Regina sighed. "Well! Lets take these bags upstairs." Regina grabbed Henry's little suitcase and together they marched upstairs to Henry's room. She set the suitcase on his bed, and he set his large bag on his desk. He dug through it and pulled out his story book.

"I thought you were letting David borrow that for Neal."

"Grandpa said I could have it this weekend. Neal's a boy. They can get tired of their parents' love stories."

"Alright. Well. How about you take a shower quick and I'll make lunch. Maybe when we're done we can go visit baby Neal. I need to talk to Snow anyways."

"Alright." Henry handed his mother the book. "Would you take that downstairs? I'm going to take it with me."

"Sure." Regina left her son to change and she hurried down stairs to make some turkey sandwiches, but the golden lettering on the book tempted her more than anything. She quickly flipped open the book, full of innumerable stories, and found the one she wanted. _Princess Leia. No. _It was the next one. _Robin Hood rescues Roland _The picture was, of course, exactly his own face, and it made her want to cry. She stared down into his beautiful eyes and gently touched his painted cheek with her fingertips. _Robin. _

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Startled, she threw the book down onto the counter, and then composing herself rushed to the door. She opened the door to see him.

Robin Locksley, his unruly hair and boyish smile nearly killing her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, trying to sound indifferent.

"I'm sorry, Regina, it's Roland-"

"Is something wrong?!" Panic flared in Regina's heart.

"Hi!" Roland looked up at Regina with his big doe eyes, and darling smile.

"He misses you. He won't... connect with Marian, and I…. She doesn't know we're here. You must not tell her." Regina's eyes filled with tears as Roland lifted up his arms as a gesture to be held.

"Come on in. I was just making lunch." Regina lifted Roland into her arms and kissed his curly haired head. As they walked into the kitchen, Robin shutting the door behind him, Roland asked,

"Will you tell me a story?"

"Actually, I was going to make you and your papa some lunch."

"Its alright. I'll make the sandwiches." Robin offered. Regina looked over at all the fixings she got out and nodded slowly.

"Alright." She grabbed the Once Upon a Time book and together she and the little boy sat down on the sofa. She turned to somewhere in the middle of the book and just began to read.

"Once upon a time," she said, "There was a beautiful princess who was very unhappy. She was so unhappy with her life that a green fairy took pity on her and came down to help her find her happiness. The Green Fairy's name was Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell told the Princess that all she had to do to find happiness was to find true love. But the princess's true love died long ago, and she thought it was impossible to find true love ever again. But Tinkerbell kept encouraging her. 'You'll find it. Just wait.' She gave the princess a magical item that would allow her to find her true love, Fairy dust! Tinkerbell helped the Princess find her true love. She led her to a tavern in a small town in the kingdom, and the Princess looked in through the window to see a young man sitting at the table. 'That's him!' said Tinkerbell, 'That's your true love. The man with the lion tattoo!'"

Regina saw Robin pause in his work as she said these words, but she continued anyways. "'All you have to do is go talk to him.' Tinkerbell said, and then she flew away to leave the princess to talk to the man." Regina felt tears now. "But she was too scared, and so she ran away. She was very angry at the Green Fairy, but she didn't know that soon she would meet the man with the Lion tattoo again, and they would fall in love."

_Oh no._ The tears were falling now. She heard Robin set down his knife. "And when winter came they would-" she froze, staring at the words before in in unbelief. _No. It was impossible. It couldn't be true._ She couldn't read this aloud! "They would live happily ever after. The end." She finished quickly and shut the book. She had lied, and she was glad Roland couldn't read.

"I think it's time I get Henry for lunch."

"Roland, how about you run upstairs and get Henry?"

"Okay!" Roland ran out of the room, and Robin came up to Regina and knelt down at her feet, and gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"Regina…." He whispered.

"Please don't! Please don't. You'll only make it worse." She sobbed.

"Regina. I don't want it to be this way."

"It will always be this way. It always will." Regina whispered. "Because I love you more than anything in this whole world. Because you've given me something to fight for. Because you've restored my heart to light. Because you make me smile, and laugh, and you make me happy! You brought me my happiness, Robin!" Robin leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry. It has to be this way. You brought me happiness too." He stood up as Henry and Roland entered the room. "Alright! Time for lunch!"


	2. Chapter 2 Come Winter

**CHAPTER TWO**  
**EMMA**

"Sheriff!" Leroy came running around the corner into Emma's office. He looked more troubled than usual, and he was panting from a hard run.  
"What's going on?" Emma asked.  
"You know how you told us to scout out the area were the time portal appeared and disappeared?"  
"Yeah?"

"Well we found something that you better come see..."

* * *

**REGINA**

"It's getting warm out at last!" David grinned. "Neal came just in time for summer to begin."  
Snow smiled up at him, "We'll get to take him to the beach, and we can go on picnics!" Snow turned over to her tiny baby son, who was laying on their bed, carefully wrapped in a warm, white wool blanket with embroidered letters in blue: NEAL. His big blue eyes looked up at his mother eagerly.

There was a knock on the door.  
"I'll get it." David hurried to the door to find Regina and Henry, who was holding his story book tightly.  
"Hey! Here to read to Neal?  
"Yes." Regina said. "And I was wondering if I could talk to Snow."  
"Oh! Sure. I have an idea! How about we take Neal out to Granny's? We can get some Hot cocoa and we'll read him some stories there. How does that sound?" David asked.  
"That sounds awesome, Grandpa!"

Regina smiled as she watched Henry race in past his grandfather to tell his grandmother of their plan.  
"Thanks, Charming."  
"No problem. You ladies make some tea and have some fun."  
After the three "men" had left the apartment Snow brewed some chamomile tea and together they sat down at the table.

"So." She said."What's up?"  
"What's up?" Regina sighed. "Not me."  
"I'm sorry to hear that." Snow smiled sadly.

"Well, you know what happened." Regina whispered, "But I…. it's more than just me losing something. I feel like my entire heart has been ripped out from my chest all over again. I think I'm in love- and not just with Robin. I think I love Roland too. I think…. I would rather die than be without either of them. You have to help me."

"You're in love, Regina. It's going to be painful. It was with David and I."  
"But I… He came over today."  
"What? Why?"  
"Because of Roland. He said Roland misses me, and that he wouldn't listen to Marian. Roland asked me to tell him a story so I opened up the book, and it opened right up to the story of the Princess who Tinkerbell led to her true love. I cried. I couldn't stop. Robin sent Roland upstairs to find Henry so we could talk alone."  
"And what did he say?" Snow asked.  
"He said he didn't want it to be this way." Snow was shaking her head.

"He still loves you."  
"I told him it would always be this way. And I told him why."  
"Regina, look at me. I don't want you to give up hope. That man is still in love with you."  
"Thank you, Snow, for talking to me." Regina sighed, her tea untouched, "I'm sorry, but I'm not feeling very well. I think I'll go lie down."  
"Alright. Thank you! I hope you feel better soon!" Snow smiled.  
"Tell Henry that I'm at home."

* * *

**EMMA**

Leroy led Emma back to te old barn where she, Killian, and Marian returned through the time portal. There, the other dwarves, and Emma's father were all examining a large, blood red stone about the size of Emma's fist.  
"What the hell is that thing?" Emma breathed.  
"We have no idea." Leroy said. "But it looks like it came through the portal with you and Hook." Emma gasped.  
"I know just the person who can help us figure it out!"  
"Who?" David looked up eagerly.  
"Rumpelstiltskin."

* * *

**REGINA**

Regina woke up only to have to rush to the bathroom and get rid of the lunch she had eaten earlier. Something was seriously wrong with her and she knew the explanation was in Henry's storybook. Those words she had opted not to say had echoed in her mind the whole time she spoke to Snow, and she hadn't said anything. Now she couldn't remember exactly what they said and she absolutely needed to know the exact wording. Hopefully Henry wasn't reading that story to young Neal. Regina collapsed into bed and phoned Snow.

"Hi!" She said, annoyed at how weak her voice sounded.  
"Regina! Are you okay?" Snow asked.  
"I'm fine. I mean, I'm sure it's just a bug, but I was wondering if you could drop the storybook off here on your way home. I need something good to read while I wait this one out." She tried sounding encouraged, but she knew it would be an awful long wait until this "bug" was gone.

"Sure! We'll stop by! We were just going to go to the park anyways. I'll send Henry up, okay? No need for you to get out of bed."  
"Thanks." Regina hung up quickly.

Henry stopped by soon, leaving her with some warm broth, a vase of flowers, tissues, and his book. She didn't dare open the lid on the broth, just looking at it upped her nausea, but the book was open in seconds and she was flipping through the pages as quickly as she could. She found it, and had to read it over numerous times to make sure it said what she thought it said.  
_ And when winter came they would bear a child._

* * *

**EMMA**

Emma took her dad's truck back into town, and was rounding the corner towards gold's shop when she slammed on her breaks. She saw him duck, as if readying himself for the hit and then there was silence. Shaking, she put on the emergency break and jumped out of the car.

"Killian!?" She wanted to smack him and kiss him all at once. He stood slowly when he saw her. "Hasn't anyone taught you that you get out of the way when a car's coming right towards you?" Emma gasped. "Idiot!"  
"I'm alright, thanks for asking." Killian wiped dirt off his knees and then frowned. "Where are you off to so fast anyways?"  
"To Gold's. We found something... interesting to say the least. It looks like we brought something back from the Enchanted Forest—something else besides Marian."

"Oh? What is it?"  
"I don't know. That's why I'm getting Gold. I think he might be able to tell me what's going on."  
"I'll come with you." Killian offered.  
"You don't have-"  
"I'm not offering because I feel obligated, Emma. I'd like to." Killian corrected her.

"Well, alright, you're part of this anyways." Emma climbed back into David's truck and parked it at the curb and then they entered Gold's shop, where a tall man Emma had not seen in a long time stood behind the counter.  
"Jefferson?" Emma breathed. Jefferson turned around and grinned. He took the top hat off his head and bowed dramatically.  
"Welcome to Gold's Shop. What can I help you with?"  
"Actually, we're looking for Gold... what are you doing here?"  
"Here? I work here now." Jefferson replied.

"Gold hired you?" Killian inquired, he looked frustrated that Emma knew Jefferson.  
"Yes. He said he needed to hire someone so that he didn't have to be here all the time." Jefferson said. "And I needed a job so that I can support Grace."  
"I don't suppose you know where Gold is?" Emma asked.  
"Actually, he's at home."  
"Gold has a house?"  
"Yes. A nice one, on the edge of town. He just bought it. Do you want the address?"

"You have it?"  
"Right here." Jefferson scribbled something down on a sticky note.  
"Thanks." Emma took the purple note and he nodded.  
"Be safe."  
"Um... alright." They hurried out of the shop and back to the truck.

"Why do you think Gold bought a house? That seems unlike him."  
"Everyone needs a place to live, Swan." Killian said.  
"Well, yeah, but..." Emma trailed off as they drove along to the edge of town.

* * *

**REGINA**

"Winter? Which winter?! And Robin and I aren't together anymore! And Marian! And…."  
There was a sudden ringing of the doorbell. Regina pulled herself out of bed, shut the book, and put on her long bathrobe. Maybe she had forgotten something at Snow's house. Or maybe it was Emma with some strange news, as usual. She quickly opened the door and was face to face with Marian Locksley.

"You!" Marian shrieked. "Robin told me everything!" Fury was burning in her brown eyes, her usually pretty face was contorted with the ugliness of hatred. Is that what my face used to look like?  
"Everything about what?" Regina tried to play dumb, but Marian wasn't buying it.  
"You went to bed with him, didn't you?!"  
"It doesn't matter." Regina was too tired to fight. "You have your husband leave me alone."

"They always said the evil queen gets whatever she wants, and whoever she wants. They were right. I swear if you curse Robin to come with you ever again-"  
"Curse Robin?! I didn't curse anyone! We were in love!"  
"You witch!" Marian grabbed her throat, and they collapsed to the floor. Marian slapping, scratching, and choking, Regina trying desperately to get the woman off of her, and in that instance all she could think about was the tiny baby she was supposed to bear come winter.

"Get off!" Someone was above them, grabbing Marian and pulling her off of Regina. Regina tasted the blood dripping down from the scratch across her cheek, and gasped for breath, her throat finally released. "Are you alright?" It was Robin holding out his hand for her, Marian sat in the background forgotten and still seething with anger.  
"I'm fine." Regina took the hand, and Robin pulled her up to her feet. She felt dizzy from the sudden rise of elevation and realized she needed water. She clutched Robin's arm, hoping he wouldn't take it the wrong way.

"Are you alright?" He asked again, his accent nearly killing her.  
"I need water…" He led her to the kitchen and set her down on one of the chairs, pouring her a gracious glass of the clear liquid. He sat down across from her, seemingly forgetting Marian.  
"I'm sorry about that. I won't let it happen again." He said as Regina drank the water.  
"It's not your fault." Regina said. Roland came wandering in, holding the giant storybook. "Were you upstairs, Roland?" Regina asked with a laugh. The little boy nodded and handed her the book.

"Are you sick, Regina?"  
"I'm out of sorts today." Regina said. "I'll be fine tomorrow."  
"Papa, will you read me a story?" Roland asked.  
"Not now. We have to get back to your mother." Roland set the book down on the table and his father lifted him up into his arms. "I won't let it happen again, Regina, I swear."

"Robin!" Regina scribbled a note on a napkin.  
_ Meet me here at midnight tonight. I absolutely need to talk to you. It's important._  
Robin read it quickly and nodded.  
"See you around." He said, gently squeezing her hand. The moment he and his family left Regina rushed upstairs to get dressed. She had to go talk to Doctor Whale immediately.


	3. Chapter 3 Ancient History

**CHAPTER THREE**  
**EMMA**

The address led Emma and Hook to a tall white house with light blue trim on the edge of house. It was two story, and the garden outside was beautiful filled with flowers of every kind. Emma walked up the brick path up to the porch, Hook followed closely behind.  
"Are you gonna knock?" Killian asked. Emma raised her fist and rapped three times on the door. There was silence for a moment, and then Emma heard soft shuffling footsteps. The white door opened slowly and revealed Belle.  
Her hair was down, and she was wearing a white bathrobe. She frowned when she saw them.  
"Emma? Hook? What are you doing here?"  
"Belle?! What are you doing here? Isn't this Gold's house?" Emma asked.  
"Our house." Belle replied.

"Never mind. It doesn't matter." Emma sighed. "We need to speak to Gold right away."  
"Why?" Belle asked.  
"Belle? Is everything alright?" Gold appeared in the hallway behind Belle, dressed as usual.  
"Rumpelstiltskin!" Emma shouted. "We need your help." Gold frowned.  
"With what?"

"You don't remember, but Killian and I were in the past and we met you."  
"Really? I don't recall seeing you in my past at all." Rumpelstiltskin frowned. Killian shook his head,  
"You took a forgetting potion, mate. You couldn't risk remembering what we told you."Gold closed his eyes, concentrating, and suddenly he sighed.  
"I can't remember." Then he glared, "Did you say you needed something?"  
"Something from your stores came through the portal with us." Emma said.

"What?!" Gold looked horrified. Emma watched as he was obviously trying to remember if he noticed anything missing, but he didn't seem to be having any luck.  
"If you come down to the barn we can show you what it is. David and the dwarves are there right now." Gold sighed again.  
"Alright, fine. I'll come."  
"I'll come too if you give me a second to change." Belle hurried off down the hall way and Emma stared after her. What the heck is going on here? Curiosity got the best of her and she looked over at Gold.

"So... what's going on?"  
"If you must know, Belle and I got married a few nights ago."  
"Oh!" Emma smiled, "Congrats."  
"Congratulations, Mate." Hook nodded.  
"Alright." Belle came marching down the hallway with purpose. "Lets go see this thing."

Emma and Hook led Belle and Rumple to the barn in their two cars. There David and the dwarves were waiting for them, and it seemed that Robin had joined them.  
"Hey." David nodded to Emma and Hook. Then he looked over at Rumpelstiltskin. "Do you think you'll be able to identify this?" Gold nodded and David and Robin led him back into the barn.  
"We didn't want to disturb it because it might be dangerous." Robin said. When Gold saw the large red gem on the side of the great circle he smirked.

"You're afraid of this thing? Don't be. It's quite harmless." He stepped over and picked it up. The moment he did it began to smoke and he shouted out in pain, dropping the jewel, which was now a fiery red instead of a dull ruby. His palm was burned, and his hand was shaking desperately.

"Your own things don't like you very much, mate." Hook said. Rumpelstiltskin looked up with a wild look in his eyes.  
"This isn't mine." He gasped, cradling his burnt hand. "This is my sister's."

* * *

**REGINA**

"Well, Regina. This is the third time you've had me do this test. When are you going to believe the results?"  
"Trust me, Doctor Whale, I want to make full certain that I'm having a baby." Regina looked down at her flat belly, frowning. "I don't want this to be a mistake."  
"Regina. It's positive again." Dr. Whale said.

"Oh my god, what am I going to do?"  
"Well, I'd start off by eating more-"  
"I didn't mean about that, Doctor. The baby's father has a wife who's supposed to be dead." "In that case I'm going to refer you to Doctor Hopper."  
"Shut up." Regina stood. "I'll make another appointment with you later. I've got important things to do and important people to see." She was out of the office in a hurry and halfway through Storybrooke when she met Snow and Neal and Henry.

"I thought you were bedridden!" The three of them were bundled tightly against the pouring rain.  
"I was. I went to see Doctor Whale and my suspicions were confirmed."  
"Are you alright, Mom?' Henry asked.  
"Yes. I just have a simple virus. I've just got to fight it. I'm going back to bed, don't worry." Regina looked at the baby in Snow's arms, and imagined herself holding a child of her own. Of Robin's. It almost hurt physically to think about it.

"Well, you better get some sleep. Stay warm! This weather is terrible! We're going back inside so our noses don't freeze off. Come on, Henry."  
"Bye, Mom!" Henry hugged his mother tightly, "Feel better soon." Unlikely. Regina thought as she watched her son gallop away after his grandmother.

* * *

**EMMA**

"Your what now!?" Robin gasped.  
"My sister..." Rumpel sat down on one of the hay bales. Emma came forward and said,  
"Let me help. If you can work me through it I might be able to heal it."  
"No. Not this. My sister always had this thing against me. She was the talented one, and I was the coward, but she was jealous of the simplicity in my life... that was, of course, before I broke my own leg to see my son."

"What can we do for your burn?" Belle asked, sitting next to her husband.  
"Do for it what you would do for any other burn. I'll go see Dr. Whale tomorrow. For now... we must talk about my sister."  
"Who was she?" David asked.  
"My sister was a powerful sorceress." Rumpel said, "She exceeded even my power. Thankfully, I was able to vanquish her and exile her to the realm of the fae."  
"I'm sure she was very pleased about that." Emma said sarcastically.  
"No. She wasn't really. She found a way out by using a gem. This gem had the power to transport to and from the realm where the Enchanted Forest lies."  
"So she got out?" Robin asked.  
"Unfortunately, yes, but not to the Enchanted Forest."  
"Where then?" Emma asked.  
"She came back to our realm through a portal which opened in the land of Avalon."

"Avalon." Emma laughed.

"You're joking." Rumple looked up at Emma, glaring,  
"Do I look like I'm joking?"  
"No..."  
"Emma, Avalon is a real place, it is not too far from the Enchanted Forest. My father had dealings with the King."  
"Let me guess... Arthur."  
"No. Uther Pendragon."

"Okay... so a powerful sorceress, who is also your sister, appears in the land of Avalon. Then what?" Emma asked.  
"My sister was in a rage. She wanted nothing more than to destroy me. She decided to 'persuade' King Uther into directing his men and their allies against me."  
"How did she persuade him?" Robin said.  
"With her beauty?" Belle asked.  
"She could have easily done that, but decided against it. Instead she threatened to curse the King's son, Arthur. The king had no choice. He had heard of my sister, and knew she was beyond dangerous."

"So, then what?" David asked.  
"My sister and I fought until she was nearly dead. But before I could stop her she made a blood sacrifice to the Silver Fae in order to be healed and granted immortality."  
"The blood sacrifice?" Robin asked.  
"Uther Pendragon."  
"How long did this war between you two last for?" Hook asked.

"Many, many years. I believe she made the blood sacrifice quite soon before the curse was enacted. Arthur Pendragon was only a young man then, not even quite 25. The catch was she would have to spend 1,000 years serving the Queen of the Silver Fae. She whisked away, dropping this stone as it happened. I remember now, I was very careful not to touch it. My sister always was paranoid about me, she cast spells against me on all her items. See, if you were to touch the stone, David, nothing would happen. Only on me. That stone has the power to transport a whole entire city back to the Enchanted Forest."

"You're kidding." Emma whispered. David's mouth fell open, Hook's eyes became the size of saucers, Belle squeezed Rumpel's arm, Robin grinned, and Leroy shouted,  
"You hear that, boys?!"  
"I'm not. This stone is extremely valuable. We must be very, very cautious with it. In the wrong hands it could be used to the destruction of all the realms."  
"Wait! Are you saying we can use this stone to get home?!" Hook cried.  
"I am."  
"Bloody Hell!" Hook looked over at Emma in awe. "We can go home!"  
"WE CAN GO HOME!" Leroy screamed to the other dwarves. All of them cheered.

"Wait, Gold. What about your sister? She's still stuck in the land of the Silver Fae, right?"  
"I wouldn't count on it. Her contract was for only 1,000 years. The fae would beg her to stay, but there is no way she would. We all know time in faerie land moves faster than time anywhere else."  
"So she could be out and about." David said.  
"Yes, it's likely."  
"What's your sister's name, mate?" Hook asked.  
"My sister's name?" Rumple sighed. "It's Morgana." Emma gasped.

"Emma, have you heard of her?" David asked.  
"Yes. Of course I have! Morgana's in all the King Arthur legends." Then Emma frowned. "I suppose you're going to say Merlin's real now, too."  
"Merlin?!" Rumple groaned. "Yes. He's real. If I meet with him again, though, I don't think I'll fare so well." Emma smiled.

"Well, then, lets stay away from him. Alright. Dad, Leroy, Robin, Hook... what's the plan of action?"  
"We need to take the gem some place where it won't get found!" David said.  
"I know exactly where," Robin replied, "Regina's secret hiding place in her father and mother's crypt."  
"Sounds lovely.

"Wait. Before you go, there's one more thing. Morgana has one weakness."  
"Of course she does, everyone does."Robin said.  
"Morgana has a son. She conceived and birthed him the first time she was trapped in the land of the fae. His name is Mordred."  
"Mordred." Emma nodded. "Got it."  
"Please be careful. I don't know if Morgana is on the loose or not. If she is, she's very dangerous." Gold said. David scooped up the gem and he, followed by Emma, Hook, Robin, and all the dwarves, left the barn.

* * *

**REGINA**

"Hey."

Now that it was confirmed that she was pregnant (thrice over) she needed to face her fears and tell the father. There he stood before her, and she could hardly look him in his beautiful eyes. "Robin…."  
"I'm sorry about all this mess Regina. I want you to know now that I would have it any other way than this way. I don't want you to be hurt. You know though, I am an honorable man and I must stay with my wife."  
"Please don't make this any harder, Robin." She whispered.  
"What's going on Regina?" Robin asked. His eyes were filled with concern, but she could tell that, just like her, he wanted to get this conversation over with.

"First, before I say anything, I want you to know that this is not my desperate attempt to get you back. That by me telling you this I am not asking for you to throw aside the family you have. I don't want you to feel like the only reason I'm telling you is because I want you back. I love you, Robin, but I won't do that to Marian or Roland. I am telling you because you deserve to know."  
This seemed to peak his interest.  
"What are you talking about, Regina? What's going on?" Regina pulled Henry's storybook from the table next to her and turned to page 101, and pointed to the sentence, that dreaded sentence that had made her panic not long before, but now seemed like a simple part of her life. _And come winter, they would bear a child_.

Robin stared at the page, his eyes flashing with emotion, but Regina couldn't tell what was going on in his head.  
"Are you…?" He swallowed. "Regina, are you pregnant?" Regina smiled sadly.  
"Yes. I took the test three times. Every time it came out positive."  
"And…. it's mine?"  
"Yes, Robin. It's your's." There was a long moment of silence as Robin stared down at the page. _Come winter._  
"I... what am I going to tell Marian?" Robin whispered.

"What do you mean, 'what am I going to tell Marian'?!" Regina gasped. "What about me!? What are you going to tell me? Just: 'Sorry. I can't leave my wife. You're going to have to raise it all on your own!' Is that honorable, Robin?"  
"Regina. Settle down. I can't have two wives... I'll help you raise the child, but you must understand that I can't-"  
"Robin!" Regina gasped, tears seeping from the corners of her eyes. "I'm in love with you!" He froze, staring at her. "Do you want to know how I can tell? I see your smile in every beam of sunshine. Every time I see you I want you to stop talking so I can kiss you. I dream about you. And I can't get you out of my head. You're just like a song, stuck replaying over and over and over again in my head. I know because no matter how hard I try to forget, I can't. No matter how hard I try to forgive, I can't. No matter how hard I try to let it go, I can't. I'm so desperately in love with you."

"I love you too." Robin breathed, and leaning forward he pressed his lips to her forehead. "But we both know it's doesn't work this way." He stood and exited the house, leaving Regina to let her tears run free sitting on the sofa, all alone.


End file.
